Automatic twist wrapping apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprising a first carrier for carrying articles to be wrapped to a predetermined position individually at a regular spacing in a horizontal direction, means for supplying wrappers to the articles brought to the predetermined position so as to position each article approximately at the center of the wrapper, a second carrier adapted to traverse the first carrier horizontally thereof in synchronism therewith to grip the wrappers and articles together and transfer the same to an intermediate path of travel, means disposed in the path of advance of the second carrier for bending the wrappers at the projecting ends thereof other than one end thereof to be twisted, a third carrier having grippers for transferring the wrapped articles gripped by the second carrier from the terminal end of the wrapper bending means to a final path of travel, and means for folding the wrappers and twisting the projecting open ends thereof in the path of advance of the third carrier.

[ Mar. 19, 1974 I AU'IOMA'IIC TWIST WRAPPING APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Hiroaki Fukuzaki, Matsubara, Japan [73] Assignee: Tenchi Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha,

Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 300,340

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Fabbri i. 53/227 Primary Ii'xam inerTravis McGehee Assistant Examiner-John Sipos Attorney, Agent, or FirmHolman & Stern 5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus comprising a first carrier for carrying articles to be wrapped to a predetermined position individually at aregular spacing in a horizontal direction, means for supplying wrappers to the articles brought to the predetermined position so as to position each article approximately at the center of the wrapper, a second carrier adapted to traverse the first carrier horizontally thereof in synchronism therewith to, grip the wrappers and articles together and transfer the same to an intermediate path of travel, means disposed in the path of advance of the second carrier for bending the wrappers at the projecting ends thereof other than one end thereof to be twisted. a third carrier having grippers for transferring the wrapped articles gripped by the second carrier from the terminal end of the wrapper bending means to a final path of travel, and means for folding the wrappers and twisting the projecting open ends thereof in the path of advance of the third carrier.

6 Claims, 5 l rawing Figtlres PATENTED MR 1 9 I974 SHEET 1 [1F 4 PATENTEDHAR 19 m4 3 7'97" 198 SHEET u [1F 4 Fig.5A

AUTOMATIC TWIST WRAPPING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an automatic twist wrapping apparatusfor individually wrapping articles of an identical shapes such as confections and candies with wrappers and twisting the wrappers each at one end thereof to complete wrapping.

conventionally, twist wrapping appratuses are known for use with confections and the like by which wrappers are folded about confections in a tubular form and the opposite open ends of the tubular wrappers are then twisted to complete the wraps. However, this method produces, at the opposite ends of the wrappers, twisted portions which are bulkier than the wrapped confections, so that when a great number of confections are to be packed, there is a need to use a container which is much greater than the substantial amount of the confections, Moreover, an attempt to place them in the container in an orderly arrangement to improve compactness requires. a troublesome procedure, hence inefficient.

In order to eliminate such drawback, it has been practiced to enclose confections with wrappers at the under and peripheral side faces thereof and to twist only the projecting upper ends of the wrappers to finish wrapping, but a suitable apparatus for automatically carrying out such wrapping operation has not been provided yet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a fullautomatic apparatus for conducting the foregoing mode of wrapping by a series of continuous operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for cutting off wrapping paper in predetermined dimensions in a full-automatic fashion and for feeding confections to be wrapped to a specified position fullautomatically one after another.

According to the present invention, confections are supplied to first carrier means, which carries the confections to the specified position one after another at regular spacing in a horizontal direction to join wrappers fed to the specified position in succession. The wrappers and confections are then fitted together and gripped by second carrier means which transverses the first carrier means perpendicularly thereof and, during travel along the path of movement of the second carrier means, the wrappers are bent by bending means, each at its projecting ends other than one projecting end which is to be twisted. ,The confections and wrappers are then temporarily freed from the gripping, thereafter carried forward with the wrappers gripped again by the second carrier means from outside,; and transferred onto gripping members of third carrier means intersecting the second carrier means. In the course of the subsequent travel, the bent ends of each wrapper are folded and the projecting open end thereof is then twisted to complete wrapping. The confections thus wrapped up are thereafter discharged from the apparatus. I

'In this way, the confections supplied to the first carrier means are wrapped up by a series of operations while being carried forward full-automatically without need to employ any manual operation. It is therefore assured that the confections are wrapped one after another in succession with very high efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view showing the construction of principal part of an embodiment according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the principal part of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the principal part in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the intersection between first carrier means and second carrier means; and

FIG. 5, A, B, C, D and E is a perspective view showing the steps of wrapping a confection in sequential order.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of automatic twist wrapping apparatus for confections according-to this invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings'.

Confections a to be'wrapped are supplied by a feed disc 3 mounted on a frame and substantially surrounded bya wall 1. The feed disc 3 is supported on a vertical shaft in horizontally rotatable manner.

The feed disc 3 is formed along its outer perpheral edge with equidistantly spaced and vertically extending holes 4 for causing the confections to drop in one after another. The hole 4 has an opening which is open along the circumference of the disc 3. The top face of the disc 3 is at an elevated position at its center and gently slopes downward toward the peripheral edge of the disc to define a conical slanting surface. Beneath the disc 3, there is provided an annular guide track 5 positioned immediately under the circle along which the vertical holes 4 are formed. The guide track 5 has a cutout 6 adapted to be registered with the vertical hole 4 of the rotating disc 3 at an intermediate specified position when the hole 4 passes through the portion where the wall '1 is not provided, the cutout 6 having the same length as the vertical hole 4 inthe circumferential direction. The cutout 6 has a confection supporter 7 slightly shorter than the length of the cutout 6 and projecting horizontally from the edge of the cutout, facing toward the direction of rotation of the disc, toward the opposite edge of the cutout.

When confections a are placed onto the slanting face of the disc 3 at the portion thereof surrounded by the wall while the disc is in rotation toward the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2, the confections a slide down the slanting face toward the periphery and, while rolling in contact with the wall 1, drop into the holes 4 along the periphery of the disc, one in -each hole successively, to ride on the guide track 5. As the disc 3 rotates, the confections are driven at regular spacing toward the cutout 6 on the guide track 5 to drop into the cutout 6, where each confection is retained on the confection supporter 7.

Wrappers b each having dimensions sufficient to wrap the confection a are supplied onto a wrapper tray 8 fixedly provided above the cutout 6 of the guide track 5 and in facing relation to the vertical hole 4 in the disc 3. Disposed above the tray 8 is a rotary wheel to be driven by a drive shaft 9 to supply the wrappers.

The wrapper tray 8 have front and rear bent edges 11 and 12 at its opposite ends with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotary wheel 10. The bottom plate of the tray 10 is cut out approximately from its center portion up to the front bent edge 11 where it has an open end to define an opening 8a to be in facing relation to the vertical hole 4 when the hole is brought to a position above the cutout 6 of the guide track.

Pairs of stationary grippers 13 and movable grippers 14 are mounted on the rotary wheel 10 at equal spacing along the periphery of the wheel, each pair of the grippers being adapted to grasp the wrapper b at a position above the tray 8. The movable gripper 14 is pivotally mounted as at 15 on the peripheral portion of the wheel and urged all the time by a spring 17 acting on its actuating piece 16 so that its distal end may be brought into resilient contact with the stationary gripper 13. Fixedly mounted at the predetermined positions along a circumferential path of rotation of the rotary wheel 10 are cams 18 and 19 for releasing the movable grippers 14 from the stationary grippers 13 through the actuating pieces 16 and against the springs 17.

Above the rotary wheel 10, there is provided a pair of rollers 21 and 21 for pulling in wrapping paper. The rollers are held in resilient contact with each other by an arm biased by a week spring 20a and are positioned at the opposite sides of a wrapper inlet 22. The inlet 22 is provided with an arcuate guide plate 23 extending along the periphery of the rotary wheel 10 up to the rear bent edge 12 of the wrapper tray 8.

A pair of feed rollers and 25 held in resilient contact with each other by an arm 24 biased with a spring 24a is positioned above the pull-in rollers 21 and 21. Below the feed rollers 25 and 25, there is a rotary cutter blade 27 to be driven by unillustrated drive means for operation in synchronism with the rotary wheel 10 to cooperate with a fixed blade 26 and thereby sever wrapping paper B sent out by the feed rollers.

Wrapping paper B in the form of elongated strips and wound up on reels 28 passes over a group of rollers 29 and between the feed rollers 25 and 25, which send out the paper B at a constant speed. The paper B further passes between the fixed blade 26 and rotary cutter blade 27 and through the nip between the pull-in rollers 21 and 21 which are rotating at a higher circumferential speed than the feed rollers. However, since the spring 20 acting on the pull-in rollers is weaker than the spring 24 acting on the feed rollers 25 and 25, the wrapping paper B will pass through the nip between the rollers 21 and 21 at a feed speed determined by the feed rollers 25 and 25. The rotary cutter blade 27 rotating at a constant speed cooperates with the fixed blade 26 to sever the sent-out wrapping paper B in predetermined dimensions, whereupon the pull-in rollers 21 and 21 force the severed wrapper b into the inlet 22 at their own circumferential speed. At this time, the movable gripper 14 passing immediately below the inlet 22 on the rotating rotary wheel 10 is released from the stationary gripper 13, because its actuating piece 16 rides on the cam 18, permitting the lower end of the pulled-in wrapper b to move forward between the grippers 13 and 14. Simultaneously, the actuating piece 16 is disengaged from the cam 18,

causing the spring 17 to return the movable gripper 14 to the original position to permit its distal end to hold, in cooperation with the stationary gripper 13, the lower end of the advancing wrapper b, which is therefore carried forward along the guide plate 23 in the direction of rotation of the rotary wheel 10. The grippers 13 and 14 then bring the wrapper b to a position above the wrapper tray 8, when the actuating piece 16 rides on the cam 19 to disengage the movable gripper 14 from the stationary gripper l3, whereupon the wrapper b is released and placed on the tray 8. The movable gripper 14 returns to the original position upon disengagement of its actuating piece 16 from the cam 19 and continues to advance.

The supply of the wrapper onto the tray 8 by the rotary wheel 10 is timed with the supply of the confection a onto the cutout 6 by the feed disc 3 so that the confection a on the supporter 7 in the cutout 6 will be positioned approximately beneath the center portion of the wrapper b on the tray 8 so as to join the wrapper.

Thus each of the successively supplied wrappers b joins the confection a and, in timed relation to this, a gripping arm 33 passes upward through the cutout 6, vertical hole 4 and opening 8a which are vertically aligned to take out the confection a from the vertical hole 4 of the disc and fit it to the overlying wrapper h in cooperation with a gripping arm 34 mating with the arm 33, with the result that the confection and wrapper are grasped by the arms 33 and 34 for further travel.

The gripping arms 33 and 34 are pivotally mounted at their base portions on pins 32 which are fixed to an intermediate rotary wheel 31 to be driven by a lateral shaft 30. The pairs of the gripping arms are arranged equidistantly along the periphery of the wheel 31. The arms 33 and 34 are provided at their base portions with actuating arms 33a and 34a respectively. The arm 33, the rear arm of the pair with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotary wheel 31, has a bifurcated gripper 35 extending sidewise from its distal end. The other arm 34 of the pair is formed at its distal end with a gripper 36 mating with the gripper 35 and made of a soft elastic material. The actuating arm 33a of the gripping arm 33 has a cam lever 33b extending through an arcuate guide slot 38 in one side of the rotary wheel 31 and slidingly guided by a stationary cam 38 disposed outside the wheel 31. Further the actuating arm 34 a of the gripping arm 34 has a cam lever 34b extending through an arcuate guide slot 39 in the other side of the rotary wheel 31 and slidingly guided by a stationary cam 40 provided outside the wheel 31. Pulling springs 33c and 34c act on the actuating arms 33a and 34a. The gripping arm 33 is provided at its intermediate side portion with a projection 41.

Accordingly, the gripping arm 33 which is moved by the rotary wheel 31 is guided by the cam 38 by way of the cam lever 33b and actuating arm 33a against the action of the spring 330, so that when the feed disc 3 supplies the confection a in its vertical hole 4 onto the supporter 7 in the cutout 6 of the guide track 5, the bifurcated gripper 35 advances upward into the cutout 6 to clear the supporter 7 as shown in FIG. 4 and then passes through the vertical hole 4 while lifting the confection a off the supporter 7. (At this time the distal end of the gripping arm 33 passes through the opening 40 of the vertical hole 4.) Subsequently, the bifurcated gripper passes through the opening 8a in the wrapper tray 8, bringing the confection a into contact with an approximate center portion of under face of the wrapper b on the tray 8. In the meantime, the gripping arm 34 preceding the gripping arm 33 is guided by the cam 40 by way of cam lever 34b and actuating arm 34a against the pulling spring 34c, with its gripper 36 tracing out a path 43 indicated in a chain line in FIG. 3 to clear the peripheral edge of the feed disc 3 and to come to a position above the wrapper tray 8, whereupon the cam lever 34b is disengaged from the cam 40. As a result, the pulling spring 340 acting on the actuating arm 34a retracts the gripping arm 34 to press the gripper 36 against the confection a raised by the gripper 35, with the wrapper b on the tray 8 positioned therebetween. At the same time, the gripper 35 passes through the opening 8a of the tray 8, raising the wrapper b off the tray 8 along with the confection a.

In this way, the confections a supplied by the feed disc 3 and wrappers b supplied onto the tray 8 are fitted together. and grasped between the grippers 35 and 36 of the gripping arms 33 and 34 under the action of the spring34c and are conveyed successively at regular spacing in the direction of rotation of the intermediate rotary wheel 31 along its circumference.

At an intermediate portion of path along which the confectionsa and wrappers b are'conveyed by the intermediate rotary wheel 31, there are provided a guide plate 44 positioned at-one side of the path for bending the wrappers and upper and lower guide plates 45 disposed in' face-to-face relation along the path for bending the wrappers. Disposed'between the guide plates 45 is a pair of wrapper folding pieces 47 rotatable about a pin 46 positioned beside the path to advance to'positions above and below the path of the confectionsa. While the gripping arms 33 and 34 are transporting the confection a and wrapper b with the grippers 35 and 36 gripping the same therebetween, one end b, of thewrapper b projecting from the gripped portion is bent backward by the guide plate 44 (see FIG. 5 B) and the folding pieces 47 thereafterpivotally moved inward above and below the confection a form folded portions 47a in the bent end b simultaneously permitting the guide plates 45 to bend the upper and lower projecting ends b and b, of the wrapper backward (see FIG. 5 C).

When the wrapper b has been bent in this fashion, the projection 41' on the side of the gripping arm 33 strikes against a projection 42 fixedly positioned in its path and, simultaneously with this, the cam lever 33b of the actuating arm 33a is urged into a recess'38a of the cam 38 by the pulling spring 33c, with the result that the gripping arm 33 is inclined backwardly of the pin 32, permitting the gripper 35to be temporarily retracted and to thereby free the confection a and wrapper b held between the grippers 35 and 36. After this, the gripping arm moves forward by being guided by the recess 38a of the cam 38, with its projection 41 positionedat a lower levelbecause of its inclination and therefore permitted to pass under the projection 42.

Just before the confection a, thus enclosed with the wrapper b, is released from the grippers 35 and 36 as described above, it is grasped by a gripping member comprising a pair of stationary gripping arm 48 and movable arm 49 that moves across the path of the confections a. At this time the confection is gripped over the ends b and h of the wrapper b which have been bent at right angles of the faces grasped by the grippers 35 and 36.

The gripping members including the gripping arms 48 and 49 are equidistantly arranged along the periphe'ry of a rotary wheel 51 for final transport which is to bedriven by a lateral shaft 50. The movable gripping arm 49 is pivotally mounted as at 52 on the periphery of the 'rotary'wheel 51 and disposed in facing relation to the stationary gripping arm 48 extending from the periphery of the rotary wheel 51, the arm 49 thus being adapted for opening and closing under the action of a spring 53. The movable gripping arm 49 is provided at its base portion with an actuating arm 49a in contact with a cam 54 for effecting the opening and closing. The gripping arms 48 and 49 have at their distal ends grippers 55 and 56 preferably made of a soft elastic material and disposed face to face.

The gripping members which are driven at regular spacing by the rotary wheel 51 pass across the path of advance of the wrapped confections a grasped between the grippers 35 and 36 of the gripping arms 33 and 34. At thistime, the movable gripping arm 49 is first inclined forwardly of the pivot 52 against the spring 53 by the cam 54 and actuatin g arm 49a, to permit its gripper 56 to pass ahead of the path of the confections a transversely thereof. Subsequently, the gripper 55 of the following stationary gripper arm 48 strikes against the foldedend b on side face of the confection d which advances behind the gripper 56,

whereupon'the actuating arm 49a drops in the recess 54a of the cam 54, permitting the spring 53 to retract the movable gripping arm 49. Consequently, the confection a is gripped between the gripper 5 6 and the gripper 55 of the stationary gripping arm 48 over the folded ends b and b;, on its opposite sides. At the same time, the grippers 35 and 36 of the gripping arms 33 and 34 release the confection. The confections are therefore 'conveyed by the gripping arms 48 and 49 along the rotary wheel 51 at equal spacing.

The lateral shaft 50 of the rotary wheel 51 carries rotary wheels 71 and 72 in face-to-face relation to the rear face and front face of the rotary wheel 51 respectively (see FIG. 2). The rotary wheel 72 is provided along its periphery with retractable support rods 59 for wrapper pushers 58 which are revolved in corresponding relation to the travelling confections a on the gripping'rnembers on the rotary wheel 51, the pushers 58 being adapted by a stationary cam 57 to be advancedto a position above the'confections a during transport. The rotary wheel 71 is provided along its periphery with known twisting members equidistantly spaced apart and adapted to revolve in face-to-face relation to the wrapper ends b, of the travelling confections a on the gripping members. The twisting member includes a pair of grippers 62 which is opened and closed by a stationary cam 60 by way of an operation rod 61 during the transport of the confections a. The grippers 62 grasp the end b,, of the wrapper, whereupon they are rotated by means of rack 63 and pinion 64. Further at intermediate positions of the path of transport of confections there are provided, in addition to the wrapper pushers 58, a wrapper folding member 68 attached to the distal end of arm 67 which is pivoted at its base to a pin 65 and reciprocally pivotally moved by a link 66 along the direction of travel of the confections, and a guide plate 69 extending along the path of travel of the confections and opposing the top of the confections.

Accordingly, the projecting bent end of portion b, of wrapper b around the confection a' travelling on the grippers 55 and 56 of the arms 48 and 49 is folded over the confection a by the pusher 58 and the projecting bent end of portion b of the wrapper is then folded over the confection a by the folding member 68 on the arm 67 which advances over the while pivotally moving and following the confection. The projecting end of portion b of the wrapper is then folded over'the b portion by the guide plate 69 (see FIG. 5D). 5 D). the confection a grasped by the grippers 55 and S6 of the gripping arms 48 and 49 is enclosed by the wrapper b with its front left open with the projecting end b,,.

At this time the grippers 62 advancing in the same direction as the grippers 55 and S6 in opposing relation to the projecting end I), of the wrapper are closed by the cam 60 to grasp the opening at the end b and, simultaneously with this, the pinion 64 meshes with the rack 63 to rotate the grippers 62 and thereby twist the end b, (see FIG. 5 E).

When the confection a is completely wrapped with the wrapper b by the twist, the actuating arm 49a of the movable gripping arm 49 rides on a projection 54b to free the wrapped-up confection from the grippers 56. At the same time, cam 60 causes the grippers 62 of the twisting member to free the confection a, which is in turn discharged onto a chute 70.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic twist wrapping apparatus compris first carrier means for carrying articles to be wrapped to a predetermined position individually at regular spacing in a horizontal direction,

wrapper feed means for sending severed wrappers to the predetermined position in timed relation to the supply of each of the articles by the first carrier means so as to permit the articles to position approximately at the center of the wrappers in faceto-fact relation, I second carrier means operable in timed relation to the first carrier means to pass vertically across the first carrier means and having a group of gripping members for gripping the wrappers and the articles at the predetermined position and transferring the same from the first carrier means to an intermediate path of transport, wrapper bending means including a member positioned at one side of the path of transport by the second carrier means for bending one projecting end of each of the wrapper gripped by the second carrier means along with the article for transport, members continuous with the member for bending upper and lower projecting ends of the wrapper, and rotatable members movable into the path through windows formed in a suitable portion of the first-mentioned member or folding in the firstmentioned projecting end over the article, re-gripping means for temporarily freeing the gripping members of the second carrier means from the gripping approximately at the terminal end of the wrapper bending means and for causing the gripping members to grip the articles over the bent wrappers again,

third carrier means having another group of gripping members operable to intersect the second carrier means at the terminal end of the wrapper bending means, to grip the articles wrapped with completely bent wrappers at the opposite sides thereof at right angles with the faces gripped by the gripping members of the second carrier means when passing through the intersection, and to transfer the wrapped articles to a final path of transport one after another upon the articles being released from the gripping members of the second carrier means,

folidng means including a member operable in the path of advance of the third carrier means in synchronism with the third carrier means to fold the first-mentioned projecting bent end of each wrapper over the article, another member likewise operable in synchronism with the third carrier means to push one of the upper and lower bent ends of the wrapper in the direction of its advance beneath the other bent end for folding, and another memher for folding the other of the upper and lower bent ends by the advance of the wrapped article, and

twisting means dispsoed at one side of the third carrier means and movable in timed relation to the advance of the wrapped articles to grip and twist a projecting open end of the wrapper.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first carrier means comprises an article feed disc surrounded by a wall fixed to a frame and rotatable in horizontal position, the feed disc being formed along its periphery with equidistantly spaced and vertically extending holes for permitting the articles to drop in one in each hole, and a guide track positioned beneath the vertical holes for receiving the articles in the holes and permitting the articles to slide on, the feed disc having a gently sloping conical upper face, each of the vertical holes having an opening opened at the outer periphery of the disc for permitting passage of the gripping member of the first carrier means, the guide track having a cutout to be vertically registered with the vertical hole at the aforementioned predetermined position and having the same length at the vertical hole in the circumferential direction, the cutout permitting passage of the gripping member of the first carrier means and having a projection for supporting the article within the vertical hole.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wrapper feed means comprises means for supplying a roll of wrapping paper and severing the paper in predetermined dimensions, means for leading the severed wrappers into a supply passage, a rotary wheel rotatable in synchronism with the first carrier means for supplying the wrappers to the aforementioned predetermined position one after another, and a wrapper tray disposed above the first carrier means at the predetermined position and having an opening for pennitting passage of the gripping members of the second carrier means, the rotary wheel being provided in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery grippers for grasping one end of each of the supplied wrappers and operation members for causing the grippers to grasp the supplied wrappers at the outer periphery rotary wheel is driven, and a second cam for operating the second gripping mebe'rs when the rotary wheel is driven, the first gripping members being under the control of the cam to bypass the predetermined position where the wrappers are to join the articles and thereby position their grippers above the wrappers, the second gripping member being movable to vertically pass across the first carrier means upward from thereunder and to fit together and grip the wrappers and articles between their grippers and the first gripping members under the control of the cam, the second gripping members being under the control of the cam to release the wrappers and articles at the intersection with the third carrier means.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the re-gripping means comprises a protrusion in the path of advance of the second gripping members of the sec ond carrier means, projections formed on the gripping members for contact with the projection, and a recess formed in the second cam, the gripping members being inclinable in a direction opposite to the direction of advance of the second carrier means under the control of the cam upon the projections on the gripping members striking against the protrusion so as to release the articles and-permit the projections to shift to a position to clear the protrusion, the gripper members being operable by the cam upon the projections thereof clearing the protrusion to cause the grippers thereof to come into contact with the wrappers and thereby grip the articles again.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the third carrier'means comprises a rotary wheel rotatable in synchronism with the second carrier means for final stage of transport, movable gripping members pivotally mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery, stationary gripping members fixedly mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery and opposing the movable gripping members in pairs, and a cam for controlling the movable gripping members when the rotary wheel is driven, the'movable gripping members being operable to cooperate the staof the pathof the final transport. 

1. An automatic twist wrapping apparatus comprising, first carrier means for carrying articles to be wrapped to a predetermined position individually at regular spacing in a horizontal direction, wrapper feed means for sending severed wrappers to the predetermined position in timed relation to the supply of each of the articles by the first carrier means so as to permit the articles to position approximately at the center of the wrappers in face-to-fact relation, second carrier means operable in timed relation to the first carrier means to pass vertically across the first carrier means and having a group of gripping members for gripping the wrappers and the articles at the predetermined position and transferring the same from the first carrier means to an intermediate path of transport, wrapper bending means including a member positioned at one side of the path of transport by the second carrier means for bending one projecting end of each of the wrapper gripped by the second carrier means along with the article for transport, members continuous with the member for bending upper and lower projecting ends of the wrapper, and rotatable members movable into the path through windows formed in a suitable portion of the first-mentioned member or folding in the first-mentioned projecting end over the article, re-gripping means for temporarily freeing the gripping members of the second carrier means from the gripping approximately at the terminal end of the wrapper bending means and for causing the gripping members to grip the articles over the bent wrappers again, third carrier means having another group of gripping members operable to intersect the second carrier means at the terminal end of the wrapper bending means, to grip the articles wrapped with completely bent wrappers at the opposite sides thereof at right angles with the faces gripped by the gripping members of the second carrier means when passing through the intersection, and to transfer the wrapped articles to a final path of transport one after another upon the articles being released from the gripping members of the second carrier means, folidng means including a member operable in the path of advance of the third carrier means in synchronism with the third carrier means to fold the first-mentioned projecting bent end of each wrapper over the article, another member likewise operable in synchronism with the third carrier means to push one of the upper and lower bent ends of the wrapper in the direction of its advance beneath the other bent end for folding, and another member for folding the other of the upper and lower bent ends by the advance of the wrapped article, and twisting means dispsoed at one side of the third carrier means and movable in timed relation to the advance of the wrapped articles to grip and twist a projecting open end of the wrapper.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first carrier means comprises an article feed disc surrounded by a wall fixed to a frame and rotatable in horizontal position, the feed disc being formed along its periphery with equidistantly spaced and vertically extending holes for permitting the articles to drop in one in each hole, and a guide track positioned beneath the vertical holes for receiving the articles in the holes and permitting the articles to slide on, the feed disc having a gently sloping conical upper face, each of the vertical holes having an opening opened at the outer periphery of the disc for permitting passage of the gripping member of the first carrier means, the guide track having a cutout to be vertically registered with the vertical hole at the aforementioned predetermined position and having the same length at the vertical hole in the circumferential direction, the cutout permitting passage of the gripping member of the first carriEr means and having a projection for supporting the article within the vertical hole.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wrapper feed means comprises means for supplying a roll of wrapping paper and severing the paper in predetermined dimensions, means for leading the severed wrappers into a supply passage, a rotary wheel rotatable in synchronism with the first carrier means for supplying the wrappers to the aforementioned predetermined position one after another, and a wrapper tray disposed above the first carrier means at the predetermined position and having an opening for permitting passage of the gripping members of the second carrier means, the rotary wheel being provided in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery grippers for grasping one end of each of the supplied wrappers and operation members for causing the grippers to grasp the supplied wrappers at the outer periphery of the rotary wheel and to release the same onto the tray.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second carrier means comprises an intermediate rotary wheel rotatable in synchronism with the first carrier means, first gripping members pivotally mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery, second gripping members in opposing relation to the first gripping members in pairs and pivotally mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery, a first cam for operating the first gripping members when the rotary wheel is driven, and a second cam for operating the second gripping mebers when the rotary wheel is driven, the first gripping members being under the control of the cam to bypass the predetermined position where the wrappers are to join the articles and thereby position their grippers above the wrappers, the second gripping member being movable to vertically pass across the first carrier means upward from thereunder and to fit together and grip the wrappers and articles between their grippers and the first gripping members under the control of the cam, the second gripping members being under the control of the cam to release the wrappers and articles at the intersection with the third carrier means.
 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the re-gripping means comprises a protrusion in the path of advance of the second gripping members of the second carrier means, projections formed on the gripping members for contact with the projection, and a recess formed in the second cam, the gripping members being inclinable in a direction opposite to the direction of advance of the second carrier means under the control of the cam upon the projections on the gripping members striking against the protrusion so as to release the articles and permit the projections to shift to a position to clear the protrusion, the gripper members being operable by the cam upon the projections thereof clearing the protrusion to cause the grippers thereof to come into contact with the wrappers and thereby grip the articles again.
 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the third carrier means comprises a rotary wheel rotatable in synchronism with the second carrier means for final stage of transport, movable gripping members pivotally mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery, stationary gripping members fixedly mounted on the rotary wheel in equidistantly spaced arrangement along its periphery and opposing the movable gripping members in pairs, and a cam for controlling the movable gripping members when the rotary wheel is driven, the movable gripping members being operable to cooperate the stationary gripping members to grip therebetween the wrapped articles released from the second carrier means at the terminal end of the wrapper bending means and to release the articles at the terminal end of the path of the final transport. 